Conversion system for suction cleaners



Aug. 12, 1952 E. J. BALLUFF 2,606,337

CONVERSION SYSTEM FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed May 6, 1947 2 SHEETS -SHEET 1 A TTORNf V 12, 1952 E. .J. BALLUFF 2,606,337

CONVERSION SYSTEM FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Filed May 6, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR. j W

A TTORN' Y Patented Aug. 12, 1952 2,606,337 CONVERSION SYSTEM FOR SUCTION CLEANERS Edwin J. Balluff, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Eureka Williams Corporation;

Detroit, Mich,

a corporation of Michigan Application May 6, 1947,.Serial No. 746,301

6 Claims. (Cl. 15337') This invention relates to suction cleaners and has particular relation to certain new and useful improvements therein by means of which a suction cleaner of the floor cleaning type may be converted to an off-the-floor cleaner with which certain cleaning attachments may be employed for other cleaning purposes.

It is the object of the present invention to provide apparatus for elevating the nozzle and agitator end of such floor type cleaners to an inoperative position by means which are separate and independent of any other means associated with the cleaner. It is likewise the purpose of the present invention to provide other separate and independent means for opening the converter port by which the cleaning attachments used are applied to the cleaner. Another purpose of the invention is to provide these two separate and independently operable means in such relationto one another that they can be operated independently or as a single unit as the service to be rendered by the cleaner may require.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings of which there are two sheets,

which by way of illustration show preferred embodiments and the principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in which I have contemplated applying these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims. I also contemplate that of the several different features of my invention certain ones thereof .may be ad vantageously employed in some applications separate and apart from the remainder of the features.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a cleaner of the floor cleaning type embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the cleaner illustrated by Fig. 1 with parts broken away, with certain converter elements applied thereto and with the. mechanism of the structure arranged for oif-the-floor cleaning operations;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the nozzle of the converter element taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 in which the cleaner converter mechanism is in inoperative position, thus rendering the cleaner capable of ordinary use such as occurs. inon-the-floor cleaning operations;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary .crosssectional view 2 taken substantially in the plane 5--5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 isa fragmentary plan view of a modified form of converter operating mechanism as the mechanism might appear in the plane of line 65 in Fig. 4.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, numeral l0 indicates a suction cleaner comprising a cleaning mechanism casing or body H supported by front wheels 12 and rear wheels I3, adapted to be operated by a handle 14, there being a dust bag or separatorv 15 attached to the cleaner body as indicated at I! and to the handle at 18. ,A cord [9 extending from the handle l4 supplies electrical energy for operating the cleaner" 10 Referring now to Figs. 2 and 4 it will be apparent that the cleaner casing llv houses'and includes an electric motor and fan unit 21 connected to one end of an elongated air or suction duct or air passage 22, the opposite end of which communicates with the interior of a'suction nozzle 23 in which is rotatably mounted an agitator 24 having brushes 26 for sweeping and beating-the floor covering when the. cleaner is employed in on-the-floor cleaning operations. A belt 21 (see Fig. 3) having the opposite ends thereof associated with conventional pulleys; not shown, associated with the agitator 24 and the motor and fan unit 2| and which extends through the duct 22 between said pulleys,'drives the agitator 24 from the motor'fan'unit'2'l. The upper front portion of the casing .I'I 'is provided with .a converter port opening 28 adapted to be closed by a converter port cover29 which is .pivotally mounted on pins'indicated at '31 operatively associated with lugs-32 projectingfrom the cleaner casing I l. Beneath the converter port opening 28 the casing II is formed-to provide a centrally disposed rearwardly projecting duct 33, the interior of which provides a converter port 34 extending between the exterior of the casing H and the interior of the suction duct 22.

A cover 29 hasv an operating arm 36 projecting rearwardly therefrom to which is pivotally'secured at 31 one end of anoperating rod 38,"the opposite end of which is in turn pivotally secured at 39 toone end of a crank 4|. At the pivotal connection indicated at 31 there is employed a spring 42 wound about theuadjacent end of the rod38 and secured in an opening formed in the arm 36 in such manner. as to. tend to retain the cover 29 resiliently in its closed position. The crank. intermediate the opposite .ends thereof is rotatably mounted at 43 upon a reduced portion 44 of a .stub shaft 46 which projects laterally from the side of the suction duct 22. Secured by a screw 41 upon aifurther reduced portion 49 of the shaft 46 is a second crank 48,

the cranks 4| and48 being adapted to oscillate upon the shaft 46 independently of and in parallel relation to one another. The crank 48 has an angularly disposed forwardly projecting arm in the bifurcated end 52 of which a roller or wheel 53 is rotatably secured upon a pin 54. The rear ends 56 and 5'! of the cranks t! and 46 respectively are pivotally attached by pins indicated at 58 to the forward ends of a pair of operating levers 59 and BI respectively. The levers 59 and BI are bent adjacent the opposite ends thereof in such manner as to lie alongside of one another and in such position are pivotally mounted upon a fulcrum pin indicated at 52 extending across the bifurcated lower end of a boss .63 projecting downwardly from the casing of the motor fan unit 2|. Beyond the boss 63 the lovers 59 and 6! are formed to provide oppositely disposed pedals 64 and 65 respectively, which likewise lie alongside one another and either of which is capable of being operated independently of the other, or both may be operated as a unit. Between the pedals B4 and 65 and the fulcrum pin 62 the lever 59 is transversely severed in such manner as to provide a stop 57 which is bent laterally as is indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawing in such manner as to extend within a notch 68 similarly cut out within the lower edge of the lever 6|.

Secured to a pin indicated at B9 projecting from the rear wall of the nozzle 23 is a compression spring H, the opposite end of which is in turn secured by a pin 12 to a portion of the lever 48 which lies about the center of the shaft 45 when the pin 59, the pin 12 and the crank 43 are in the position indicated in Fig. l. In such position the wheel 53 is retracted to a position above the lower extremities of the fioor wheels l2 of the cleaner.

When the crank 48 is in its opposite or extended position, as is shown in Fig. 2, the end of the spring 1| attached to the pin '52 is below the center of the shaft 45 and the pin 89 and consequently holds the lever in this lower or extended position. In such position it will be noted from observing Fig. 2 that the extension of the wheel 53 to a point below the wheels l2 elevates the forward end of the cleaner and the nozzle 23 far enough away from the floor covering that the agitator 24 and brushes 28 are prevented from engaging the floor covering. In the position shown by Fig. 2, the agitator and nozzle may be said to be in inoperative position, whereas in Fig. 4 the agitator and nozzle are in operative position.

The wheel 53 may be brought into the-position indicated by Fig. 2 by depressing the pedal 58, thus moving the lever 5i upon the pin 52 and as a result thereof rotating the crank 48 upon the reduced end 49 of the shaft 45. In such position the cleaner may be pulled about upon the floor as desired and without operation of the nozzle 23 or agitator 24 to effect any cleaning of the floor covering as normally would occur. The converter port cover 29 also may be opened, as is shown by .Fig. 2, by depressing the foot pedal 64, thus rotating the lever 59 upon the pin 82 and hence operating the crank 41 in such manner as to pull the rod 33 downwardly and consequently to effect rotation of the cover 29 upon the pin 3|.

Such operation of the wheel 53 and the cover 29 may be effected simultaneously by depressing pedals 64 and 66 at the same time. However, as will be apparent by examining the position of the stop 51, as is illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, it

is possible to open the converter port cover 29 without operating the lever Bl in such manner as to depress the wheel 53 and hence to elevate the nozzle 24- into inoperative position. For example, if the pedal 64 is depressed, the stop Bl simply will move downwardly in the notch 58, and the resultant rotation of the lever 59 will move the crank 4| in such manner as to pull on the rod 33 to rotate the cover 29 about the pin 3!. The pedal 65 not having been depressed at the same time pedal 64 was depressed, it will be apparent that the lever 6| will not move and consequently the wheel 53 will not be depressed in such manner as to render the nozzle 23 inoperative. This condition of operation, Where the cover 29 is opened and the wheel 53 is not depressed, is found to be preferable under certain conditions, for example, when the cleaner is being operated on a hard surface floor covering, or on a floor without any covering, or on a floor with a floor covering having not too great a depth of nap. Under such circumstances the cleaner will move about from one place to another much more easily than would'otherwise be the case and in any event there is no point in rendering the nozzle 23 and the agitator 24 inoperative inasmuch as rotation of the agitator under such circumstances is not objectionable.

In the modification shown by Fig. 6 the stop 57 is not employed and consequently it is possible to depress either of the pedals 54 or 36 independently of one another and to open the cover 29 or to depress the wheel 53 likewise independently of one another. Also with this structure it is possible to depress both of the pedals 64 and 65 at the same time, thus simultaneously opening the cover 29 and depressing the wheel 53.

With the structure in the position shown by Fig. 2, it is possible to insert the converter unit or element indicated at H into the converter port 34 and thereafter to operate the cleaner with any desired attachment. The converter unit l9 comprises a rectangularly formed air conducting member of converter nozzle 15 upon which is a flared or coupling socket 11 into which the end T8 of an air hose 19 may be projected. The end '18 of the hose l9 and the inside of the socket F7 are provided with spring coupling members at 8| which resiliently retain the hose in the socket when the former is inserted in the latter.

The nozzle 75 of the coupling unit 14, as is shown by Figs. 2 and 3, projects through and beyond the converter port 34 and across the suction duct in such manner as to close off the suc tion duct from communication with the nozzle 23. In order to provide means for accommodating the belt 2'! and to provide complete and open communication between the interior of thenozzle T6 of the converter element 74 and the duct 22, the lower end of the upper wall 82 of the nozzle is cut away immediately inside the suction duct 22 while the lower or rear wall 83 of the converter nozzle is provided with a slot indicated at 89 for receiving the two strands of the belt 21. In order to prevent leakage of any considerable quantity of air through the slot 84, there is provided inside of the converter nozzle 82 a valve member 85 which is pivoted on the lower wall 83 thereof upon a pin indicated at 87. The valve member comprises a laterally projecting portion 88 adapted normally to extend between the two strands of the belt 2'! for closing the opening 84 in this region, the portion 88 being also cut out as is indicated at 89 to accommodate the lower strand of the belt 21 and at the same time to cover the remainder of the opening 84.

The valve member 86 is normally held in open position indicated in dot and dash lines at 9| except during the time when the nozzle 79 is inserted in operative position within the duct 34. The member 86 is held in such open positionby a spring 92 secured in integral eye-portions 93 and 94 projecting therefrom with a laterally bent portion 96 engaging one of the side walls of the nozzle. However the spring 91 has a latterly bent end indicated at 98 which projects through an opening 99 formed in the lower wall 83 of the nozzle, the end 98 being adapted to engage the upper end of the converter duct 33 when the nozzle reaches its innermost position within the cleaner. At such time the valve member is rotated upon the pin 81 into the position shown in Fig. 3 in which the opening 84 for receiving the strands of the belt 21 is largely closed. I

Again considering the structure disclosed by all of the figures, it will be apparent that it is possible to operate the structure in a variety of different ways. For example, in the modification shown by Figs. 2 and 4 it is possible to open the converter port cover 29 by depressing the pedal 64, and the converter element 14 thereafter may be inserted in the converter port 33 without disturbing the normal position of the cleaner or the operation of the nozzle 23 and agitator 24. The cleaner will still be supported by the front wheels l2 and the rear wheels I3 as in normal conditions of operation. It may be desirable to so operate the cleaner when the cleaner is being operated on a relatively hard surface covering or on a surface covering on which there is a minimum of nap projecting therefrom.

Also in the structure disclosed in the Figs. 2 and 4, by depressing both of the pedals 64 and 66 the converter port cover 29 may be opened and the wheel 53 depressed so that the converter attachment 14 may be employed under circumstances under which the nozzle 23 and the agitator 24 are elevated with respect to the surface covering and therefore rendered inoperative relative thereto. 7

With the structure disclosed by Fig. 6 it is possible by depressing the pedal 66 without depressing the pedal 64 to perform the additional function of depressing the Wheel 53, thereby rendering the nozzle 23 and the agitator 24 inoperative with respect to the surface covering without opening the converter port cover 29. This may be desirable under circumstances in which it is desired to remove the bag 16 and to employ attachments for blowing, spraying or drying. Such conventional attachments may be employed with an air hose secured directly to the outlet I! when the bag 16 is disassociated therefrom.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention, it is understood that these are capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A suction cleaner having a body with a nozzle at the forward end thereof normally arranged for movement on a surface covering with said nozzle operatively positioned relative to said surface covering, a surface covering agitator peratively associated with said nozzle for operation on said surface covering, means for driving said agitator, a suction creating fan, a motor for driving said fan, a suction air passageway in said body between said fan and nozzle, said body having a converter port above said nozzle and connected to said suction air passageway for receiving a converter element to convert the cleaner for oif-the-floor cleaning, a cover movably mounted on said body and arranged for closing or opening said port, nozzle elevating means movably mounted on said cleaner and operable for elevating said nozzle and agitator to an inoperative position relative to said surface covering, foot pedal means connected to said elevating means for operating said elevating means to elevate said nozzle and agitator to said inoperative position, and foot pedal means connected to said converter port cover for opening said cover for receiving a converter element.

2. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which both of said foot pedal means comprise levers having the ends thereof disposed adjacent one another for simultaneous operation as a single unit.

3. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which both of said foot pedal means comprise levers having the ends thereof disposed adjacent one another, and a stop projecting laterally from one of said levers for engagement by the other for moving said levers simultaneously when one of said pedals is depressed.

4. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which both of said foot pedal means comprise levers having the ends thereof disposed adjacent one another, and a stop projecting laterally from said lever operating said converter port cover into the path of movement of said lever for operating said nozzle elevating means for actuating said converter port cover when said nozzle elevating means is actuated.

5. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which both of said foot pedal means comprise levers having the ends thereof disposed adjacent one another, said levers being pivotally connected to a spaced pair of cranks pivotally mounted on a single shaft, one of said cranks comprising a portion of said nozzle elevating means and the other a portion of said converter port cover operating means.

6. A suction cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which both of said foot pedal means comprise levers having the ends thereof disposed adjacent one another, said levers being pivotally connected to a spaced pair of cranks pivotally mounted on a single shaft, one of said cranks comprising a portion of said nozzle elevating means and the other a portion of said converter port cover operating means, and an over center spring associated with said first mentioned crank for retaining said crank in positions to render said nozzle and agitator operative or inoperative.

EDWIN J. BALLUFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,024,261 White Dec. 17, 1935 2,079,293 Kirby May 4, 1937 2,174,595 Pierce Oct. 3, 1939 2,216,279 Packer Oct. 1, 1940 2,259,386 Luse Oct. 14, 1941 2,416,786 White Mar. 4, 1947 

